The best part of me is you

Darling Lālea,
It's Christmas time and Daddy and I can't stop buying you presents! You're about to be one spoiled little girl!! But it's just so fun buying you toys and sparkly things that I know you'll love! I'm so excited for Christmas day and to watch you tear open your gifts. And knowing you, you'll probably be content with just the paper and ribbons! You love love LOVE getting your hands on paper and anything you can rip apart!

Other things you love to do right now are chasing after Moku and grabbing his wagging tail. You get so excited when you see Moku Bear running down the hall. You'll sit there and giggle away while he sniffs your face and licks your hands. You also think it's hilarious to watch him wag his tail. You often try to catch it, mid wag, and stick the end of it in your mouth. Since Moku is usually so grimy, Mommy and Daddy don't usually let you chomp on his tail. But, we have succumbed to letting you chew on his newspaper toy. It's so funny to watch you with that thing. You shove it as far into your mouth as you can and just sit there, gumming it. But actually, you're not gumming things anymore. This past month you got a tooth in!

You now have one sharp tooth peeking out of your mouth. And with that one tooth, you've begun eating new foods. Right now, you're favorites are bananas and noodles. However, just yesterday, you finished off the entire half of a pare! You were so hungry! It's been fun giving you new foods and juices to try, but scary, too. You have a tendancy to choke on things.

Recently, Auntie Juliann had her birthday at Sakura. Somehow you had gotten hold of a chunk of chicken. I looked over to give you some rice and you had red watery eyes and were gagging. Mommy and Daddy tried everything we could to get whatever it was out of your mouth, but there was nothing there! Daddy finally picked you up and was about to turn you upside down when you threw up all over him! It was yucky and messy and all over Daddy, but at least you got that piece of chicken out! We were all so worried about you! It was very traumatic! Even Tutu spilled her hot tea all over herslef in the midst of the episode!! But you're safe now, and we are much more careful about the things we give you and let you play with.

Along with trying to keep you safe, we've also been trying to teach you how to clap your hands, give kisses, and wave. Another trick we're trying to learn is how to get you to sit down on your own once you've pulled yourself up into a standing position. You're so funny! You'll pull yourself up, but then get stuck because you can't figure out how to sit back down! Instead, you'll stand there and whine until Mommy or Daddy scoops you up or helps you sit down.

Actually, you've become so dependent on Mommy and Daddy lately. If you're not chasing Moku around the house, you're crawling at my feet and following me from room to room. You've also started recognizing strangers. Mainly, you know when you're being held by someone you don't recognize. You'll generally be all right for a moment, but soon enough, the tears start pouring down your cheeks and you're looking straight at me, begging me to rescue you from the unfamiliar person. It's sad to see you cry like that, especially since so many of these new faces already love you so much! And who wouldn't?!?

You are the sweetest thing in the world and the most dear to my heart. Of course, I love Daddy and Tutu and all of our family just as much. But, the love I have for you is so different from the way I feel about anyone else. You're the giggle on the tip of my tongue, the smile at the corner of my mouth, the apple of my eye. And no one will ever love you the way I do. I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always. As long as I'm living, my baby you'll be.

xoxo
Mommy